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[tiresius]

Hey folks-

Long time ago some documentary film maker (female?) was going to do something on Bay12 and Dwarf Fortress.  Even going to one of the meet-ups.  Did anything come about that?

Someone pointed me to this link and I got very excited, but it does not have DF.  Just some 3 popular indi platformers. 
http://www.indiegamethemovie.com/
I'll still buy it, sure, but I wish there was a film on DF.  The New York Times article last year was awesome, but I want more.

[Sir Finkus]

Yeah, I always wondered what came of that.

[Loud Whispers]

Where da Toady at? :C

[Azkanan]

http://www.indiegamethemovie.com/

Film Director Logic:
Facebook --> Film
Indie Games --> Film


How the hell can you make a film about a guy programming and drawing concept? It's ridiculous. Let's make a film about playing pong next, hurr.

[MrWiggles]

There's a docu called King of Kong.

Its about folks who have the world records for arcade machines.

[Loud Whispers]

There's a docu called King of Kong.

Its about folks who have the world records for arcade machines.

Hey that film was actually pretty decent

[Grakelin]

How the hell can you make a film about a guy programming and drawing concept? It's ridiculous. Let's make a film about playing pong next, hurr.

You can make a film documentary about any form of labour. The process of creating work in other forms media isn't actually all that much more entertaining than computer programming. You just spend more time staring at attractive people when you're doing films than you do when you're making an indie game.

[SalmonGod]

I think it's cool that someone's trying to shine a little glory on the profession.

[Mictlantecuhtli]

I think it's cool that someone's trying to shine a little glory on the profession.

Eh. I'd rather it focused on the games with more depth than these, to be honest. "Indie games" =/= Platformers, I see nothing there that I was wowed by, so I don't see why I'd care about a documentary covering of the process to make it.

Dwarf Fortress, on the other hand...

[tiresius]

Eh. I'd rather it focused on the games with more depth than these, to be honest. "Indie games" =/= Platformers, I see nothing there that I was wowed by, so I don't see why I'd care about a documentary covering of the process to make it.

Dwarf Fortress, on the other hand...

As a bedroom coder I still dream of breaking out and selling something I make.  It's interesting to see how other people (with far more talent than I, alright) get it done.  Besides, it's not about the product as much as it is about the people making the product.

I think DF is enough of a modern phenomenon that it would make a great documentary of its own: the scope of the game, the complexity of its mechanics already at 33% completion, creativity of the fanbase, forums, meetups, developer transparency, living off of the charity of your fans, Tarn and Zach's lifestyle.  It's all there.  Of course it could also point to some of the sandbox games inspired by DF (minecraft, goblin camp, and others).  I mean, it caught the eye of the freakin New York Times!

[Knight of Fools]

The problem with translating it all to film is that there isn't really much to film.

The brothers sit around and talk about games and stuff. Toady writes some code and dances in his chair a little bit. A bunch of forum members get together and play Minecraft, or debate religion in a relatively civilized fashion without even knowing anything about the other people they interact with.

Bay12, its creators, games, and followers are interesting in an abstract way, but if someone tried doing it like How It's Made, it'd fall pretty flat.